The present invention relates to a powered sliding device for a vehicle sliding member which is slidably moved between an open position and a closed position in a vehicle.
Conventionally, there has been proposed a powered sliding device for a vehicle sliding member which includes a base member and an output drum which is rotatably supported on the base member through a shaft. The output drum has a cable which is wound around an outer circumferential surface of the output drum and connected with the vehicle sliding member. The powered sliding device further includes a speed reduction mechanism connected to a motor, and a clutch mechanism for selectively switchable between an engaged state in which the clutch mechanism transmits a driving torque inputted from the motor via the speed reduction mechanism, to the output drum and a disengaged state in which the clutch mechanism prevents the driving torque from being transmitted to the output drum.
The clutch mechanism includes an annular field core fixed to the base member, a rotor rotatably supported on the shaft, and an armature which is supported on the shaft so as to be rotatable about an axis of the shaft and moveable in the axial direction of the shaft. The armature is constructed to be rotatable together with the output drum. When an electromagnetic winding in the field core is energized, the armature is magnetically attracted to the rotor and frictionally engaged with the rotor. The rotation of the rotor is transmitted to the output drum through the frictional engagement between the armature and the rotor, causing the vehicle sliding member to move the open position and the closed position via the cable.
Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. 2005-232918, corresponding to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0183924 A1, describes such a powered sliding device as discussed above.